Valve mechanism.



Patented Jan. 15, 190i. I. L. FITZ HUGH.

VALVE MECHANISM. (Ap pl ication m d May 19, 1900.

'(No Model.)

INVENTOR WITNESSES A Nam E rs m: uonms PE7ER$ co, PHOTO-LITHQ, WASHINGTON, a. c.

No. 666,|34. Patented Jan. l5, I90l.

|.'. FITZ HUGH.

VALVE MECHANISM.

(Lppheat on filed May 19 1900) Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

A hos/v5 rs WITNESSES "0.. wnsuma-ron a c PATENT Eric.

ISAAC LYNDE FITZ HUGH, OF PIOOLATA, FLORIDA.

VALVE MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 666,134, dated January 15, 1901.

Application filed May 19, 1900. Serial No. 17,258. (No modeLi To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,IsAAo LYNDE FITZ HUGH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Picolata, in the county of St. Johns and State of Florida, have invented a new and Improved Valve Mechanism, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to rotary valves for steam and other engines; and its object is to provide a new and improved valve mechanism which is simple and durable in construction, very effective in operation, composed of but few parts, not liable to get out of order, and arranged to permit the operator to conveniently and quickly change the Valve to any desired point of cut-off or to reverse the engine whenever necessary.

The invention consists of novel features and parts and combinations of the same, as

will be fully described hereinafter and then pointed out in the claims.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation of the improvement as applied. Fig. 2 is a face view of the valve-seat in the steam-chest, the latter being shown in section on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse section of the improvement on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4: is a similar view of the same on the line 4 i in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a like view of the same on the line 5 5 in Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the same, on the line 6 6 in Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the eccentric for changing the position of the cut-off valve. Fig. 8 is a like view of the eccentric for changing the position of the main valve. Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the shaft, and Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the collar for actuating the cut-off valve eccentric.

The improved valve mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1 is applied to a cylinder A, in which reciprocates a piston B, and said cylinder is connected at its ends by ports ab with a steamchest O, connected with a suitable source of supply, and has a valve-seat O, on which moves the main valve D for controlling the passage of the motive agent from the steamchest 0 to the cylinder A by Way of the ports a b, and also for controlling the exhaust of the steam to the exhaustport 0. For the purpose mentioned the said main valve D is formed with an nularly arranged ports 61, adapted to register with the ports a b, and on the inner face of said main valve D is formed an annular recess e for connecting the ports I? a with the exhaust-port c for the escape of the exhaust motive agent.

.The main valve D is mounted at its center on an eccentric E, having its hub E formed with a spiral groove E engaged by a lug F on a shaft F, formed with a square portion F engaged by the correspondinglyshaped hub G of a driving sprocket-wheel G, connected by a sprocket-chain G with a sprocket-wheel on the engine-shaft, so that when the engine is in action a continuous rotary motion is given to the sprocket-wheel G and the shaft F to cause the eccentric E to move the main valve D over the face of the seat 0 to control the inlet and exhaust of the motive agent, as above mentioned.

The hub G is mounted to turn in suitable hearings in a bracket H, attached to the cover 0 of the steam-chest C, so that the sprocketwheel is held against longitudinal movement, but allows a longitudinal movement of the shaftF without moving the hub G out of gear with the square portion F of the said shaft.

On the outer face of the main valve D is fitted a cut-0E valve I in the shape of a disk mounted on an eccentric J, having a hub J fitted over the hub E of the main eccentric E, said hub J being mounted to turn ina stuffing-box 0 carried by the steam-chest cover 0 as is plainly illustrated in Fig. 1. On the outer end of the hub J are formed oppositely-disposed spiral grooves J engaged by lugs K on the inside of a collarK, having diametrically opposite lugs K loosely engaging longitudinal keyways E on the hub E of the main valve eccentric E. The collar K is also provided with an annular recess K engaged by a ring L, secured to one face of a cut-0E hand-wheel L, under the control of the operator, and formed in its hub with an internal thread screwing on a nut N, attached to the bracket H.

Now it will be seen that when the handwheel L is turned by the operator it screws inward or outward on the fixed nut N, according to the direction in which the said handwheel is turned. This movement of the handwheel L in an inward or outward direction causes a corresponding shifting of the collar K on the hub E of the eccentric E, and at the same time the lugs K of the collar K impart a turning motion to the hub J and the eccentric J, owing to the lugs K engaging the spiral grooves J in the said hub J. When the eccentric J is turned by the turning of the handwheel L, as described, it is evident that the cut-off valve I is shifted on the outer face of the main valve D, so as to cause the said cutoff valve to cut olf the ports d sooner or later relatively to the inlet-ports a b.

In order to reverse the engine, it is necessary to impart a half-revolution to the eccentric E to shift the main valve D accordingly across the seat 0, and for this purpose the outer end F of the shaft F is carried by the hub O of a reversing hand-Wheel 0 under the control of the operator and screwing on a nut 0 attached to the bracket H. When the Wheel 0 is turned to screw in an outward direction, then the shaft F is carried along, and the lug F in engagement with the spiral groove E in the hub E imparts a half-revolution to the hub of the eccentric E, so as to shift the main valve D diametrically across the face 0 for reversing the engine.

The outer face of the cut-off valve I is engaged by a balance-plate P, pressed by springs P in contact with said out off valve, the springs abutting against the inner face of the steam-chest cover 0 from which the said plate is also supported by pins P, as indicated in Figs. 1 and 5. The cut-off balanceplate P is made ring-shaped and is connected at its inner edge by a flexible diaphragm P with the steam chest cover 0, said diaphragm being secured at its outer edge by a ring P to said balance-plate and by a similar ring P to the inner face of the steam-chest cover, as will be readily understood by reference to Figs. 1 and 5. By the arrangement described full compensation is had for all wear on the contacting faces of the seat 0, the valves D and I, and the balance-plate P.

It is understood that when the engine is in operation the eccentric J is stationary, also the cut-off valve I, while the main valve D is shifted across the valve-seat O by the action of the eccentric E and shaft F, of which the latter is driven from the main shaft of the engine, as above explained.

When it is desired to change the point of cut-off, the operator turns the hand-wheel L accordingly to cause the eccentric J to shift the cut-off valve I across the face of the main valve D. When it is desired to reverse the engine, the operator turns the hand-Wheel 0 so as to move the shaft F outward without moving it out of gear with the sprocketwheel G, but causing a half-revolution of the eccentric E to shift the main valve D diametrically across the seat 0.

Having thus fully described my in ven tion, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A valve mechanism, comprising a rotary main valve having annularly-arranged inletports and an exhaust-recess, an eccentric for moving the main valve on its valve-seat, a

cut-off valve over said main valve to regulate chest to the inlet-ports, an eccentric on which said cut-off valve is mounted, and means, substantially as described and under the control of the operator, for turning said eccentric to move the cut-0d valve'over the face of the main valve to the desired point of cut-01f, as set forth.

3. A valve mechanism, comprising a rotary main valve having annularly-arranged inletports and an exhaust-recess, means for moving said valve on its valve-seat, a cut-ofi valve on said main valve, to regulate the admission of the motive agent from the steamchest to the inlet-ports, an eccentric on which said cut-off valve is mounted, and means, substantially as described and under the control of the operator, for turning said eccentric to move the cut-off valve over the face of the main valve to the desired point of cutofi, said means comprising a collar having two sets of lugs, one set for engaging a spiral groove on the hub of the eccentric, and the other set for engaging a longitudinal keyway on a part of the main valve, and a handwheel screwing on a fixed nut and engaging said collar, to move the latter longitudinally, as set forth.

4. A valve mechanism, comprising a rotary main valve having annularly-arranged inletports and an exhaust-cavity, an eccentric for moving said main valve over its valve-seat and having a hub with a spiral groove, a shaft adapted to be driven from the engineshaft and having a lug engaging said spiral groove in the eccentric-hub, a hand-wheel engaging said shaft, and a fixed nut on which screws said hand-wheel, to move said shaft longitudinally and to cause the lug thereof to turn said eccentric and move the main valve into a reversing position, as set forth.

5. A valve mechanism comprising a ringshaped balance-plate, the steam-chest having IIO a cover with a central portion of less diameter than the central aperture of the balanceplate, springs interposed between the outer portion of the balance-plate and the cover,

5 and a flexible diaphragm extending outwardly from the central portion of the cover to the inner portion of the balance-plate.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ISAAC LYNDE FITZ HUGH.

Witnesses:

M. F. FITZ HUGH, E1). H. WARE. 

